1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) communications systems. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to assessing communication link supportability in a WCDMA communications system.
2. Background
Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is a type of CDMA communication protocol that employs a wideband spread-spectrum mobile air interface and utilizes a direct-sequence spread spectrum method of asynchronous CDMA to support communication among users. An underlying concept of WCDMA is the ability for two or more transmitters (e.g., satellite transponders) to send information simultaneously over a single communications channel. This allows several users to share a bandwidth of frequencies.
Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is a communications system that can implement the WCDMA communications protocol. The MUOS provides beyond line of sight communication for military users. The MUOS operates in an ultra high frequency (UHF) band (e.g., 300 MHz to 3 GHz frequency range) and provides users with voice, data, and video communication beyond line of sight. By operating in the UHF band, a lower frequency band than terrestrial cellular networks, the MUOS provides communications to users in “tough-to-reach” environments, such as heavily-forested areas.
An example MUOS constellation can have five satellites, where four satellites are in operation with one satellite used as a spare. The MUOS can have multiple carrier signals and communication beams for each satellite in order to facilitate communication among users of the system, where each communication beam includes a number of communication links. Communication links to the satellite constellation can be made on-demand by users and then released just as easily, freeing resources for other users. One important consideration in the MUOS, and other communication systems that implement WCDMA, is an assessment of communication link supportability of the system to ensure adequate communication resources among users.